Category: VA

You may not be on the front lines, but military spouses like you are fighting your own battles at home every day. It’s that spirit of dedication, resilience and adaptability that we recognize today on Military Spouse Appreciation Day, and what makes military spouses like you so valuable to employers. Finding a new job is…

Marine Corps Veteran James Logwood is a Red Coat Ambassador at Overton Brooks VA and its Volunteer of the Year for 2023.  Confidence and experience resonate across his face and in his eyes. He wears clean crisp clothes, a sharp hat and a bright red vest adorned with service pins. At a glance, you can tell…

Clarence Wade McClusky was born in June 1902 in Buffalo, New York, to C.W. and Marie McClusky. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1926, then served for around a year on USS Pennsylvania and subsequently on USS Williamson. He completed flight training at Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, before becoming a naval…

How does VA assess hurricane assets capabilities? VA’s VISN 16, hosted by Overton Brooks VA, held its annual hurricane and deployable assets capabilities at the Bossier City Public Safety Training Complex in Bossier City, Louisiana. The weeklong exercise, April 30 through May 5, brought VA assets from across the south central United States into one…

Ryan Job was born in Washington state in March 1981. He was raised in Issaquah, Washington, and attended Issaquah High School. After graduation, he enrolled in the University of Washington, where he studied for three years before joining the Navy in 2002. He began boot camp in December of that year in Great Lakes, Illinois,…

One key aspect of mental health care is mental health research. At VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP), we’re studying how genes, lifestyle, military experiences and exposures interact to affect health, including mental health. This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re sharing some of our important research findings that were made possible by the 950,000+ Veterans in…

Get ready for a speedier application process at VA! We recently coordinated an agreement with the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) that will allow us to proceed with the next steps of the hiring process within three days of posting a job announcement, rather than the previous 15 days. That means swifter processing times…

National Military Appreciation Month is a time to honor the service and sacrifice of active-duty service members and Veterans. The United States is home to 1.3 million active-duty service members and nearly 18.6 million Veterans. In addition to providing health care and other benefits to Veterans, VA also offers life insurance to Veterans, service members…

The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration will host “Welcome Home! A Nation Honors our Vietnam Veterans and their Families,” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., May 11-13. This national event will honor Vietnam Veterans and their enduring legacy of service, and inspire Americans to thank them and their families for their service…

A healthy lifestyle, including moving the body and taking time for self-care, can support heart health. About 80% of heart disease and stroke events are preventable. Awareness of your risk factors, knowing your heart health numbers like cholesterol and blood pressure and making healthy lifestyle choices can reduce your risks. Your efforts can also lower…

Dr. Michael Brescia, a kidney dialysis pioneer and co-founder of modern palliative care and hospice care, died April 19 in his home in Westchester County, NY, at the age of 90. His death was announced by New York’s Calvary Hospital where he was medical director emeritus. Brescia, with Dr. James Cimino, developed the Brescia-Cimino fistula…

VA has renewed its focus to foster a safe and inclusive environment for all Veterans and employees. VA’s new mission statement reflects a new VA that is intent on creating an environment where all have equitable opportunities to thrive, including women, LGBTQ+ individuals and underserved populations. “To fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for those…